Sue Sena
Co-Founder and President

Sue first knew at age 12 or 13 that she would be surrounded by gay men for eternity while performing as one of the Hollywood Blondes in a production of Gypsy at a community theater in suburban Madison, NJ. None of the farm boys would return her advances, and her crushes persisted. Ever since, her circle of LGBT colleagues, partners, and friends has flourished and enriched her life in countless ways. It is in their honor, that Swish was created in 2003 – to involve the straight community in the LGBT rights movement, to celebrate the contributions the LGBT community makes to the world, and to fight so that love is equal, everywhere. Sue has spent her entire professional career developing non-profit organizations in the NYC metro area, and started her own non-profit consulting practice in 2007. Her company provides fundraising, strategic planning, and communications services to organizations that serve the mentally ill, homeless, low-income youth and families, and LGBT people. For Sue, Swish is a public and political expression of her love for the LGBT people in her life – living and angelic. She lives in the beautiful Astoria, Queens neighborhood in New York City with the gayest straight man on the planet, Sean, also a staunch LGBT ally. She says, "I swish because young LGBT people deserve to grow up in a world knowing that they are loved and celebrated.”

Jason Bowman
(aka Jaybo, not to be confused with J. Lo)
Co-Founder, Vice-President and Gay Travel Buddy to Jamie Lloyd

“Swish for me is more than a bunch of friends on a kitschy float wheeling down Fifth Avenue. It is a symbol of unity and love and joy of life. It celebrates the simple truth that befriending difference is a key ingredient to the evolution of our world.” Jason has been committed to Swish’s growth since its founding and has generously contributed to its success in bringing straight people into the gay rights movement. Over the years, he has organized numerous events and fundraisers to support Swish and represented the organization at EuroPride 2008 in Stockholm. One of his personal goals is to start a mentorship program where Swish engages younger generations into forming gay-straight alliances in their hometowns. Jason is the director of NYC’s acclaimed Fountain Gallery, the premier exhibition space for artists living and working with mental illness. Since 2003, he has expanded its operation, which represents a core group of 40 artists and exhibits the work of emerging and self-taught artists from around the world. Jason is currently obtaining a master’s degree in public policy and administration at Columbia University.

Jamie Lloyd
Co-Founder, Secretary, and Homo Matchmaker (est. 1994)

Jamie has been a true-blue Swish girl since the age of 10, although she didn’t know it at the time, when she met and fell madly in love with her church pastor, whose charming, gentle, and monastic demeanor (unsuccessfully) masked a fabulous diva-bitch personality longing to break free. His death from AIDS in 1987 devastated her, and perhaps stirred the first flickering flames of homo-worship. Eight years later, her best friend came roaring out of the closet with a vengeance and started her on an unforgettable journey, a whirlwind of love, joy, and celebration of some of the most amazing people she’s ever had the pleasure to know. Jamie has worked as a department administrator at New York University since 2001, is currently pursuing a degree in Media Studies, and is training for her first half-marathon this year. She lives, loves and loiters in Brooklyn, and is blessed with a five-room apartment of her very own and three of her best friends, all gay, all fierce, and all her big brothers, scant blocks away. Jamie is also blessed and proud to be on the Swish board, and to have helped crystallize and implement its mission of uniting the straight and LGBT communities in pursuit of full, unwavering equality for all. She says, “I Swish because the LGBT movement is on fire, and I want to be the accelerant.”

Adrienne D. Capps, CFRE
Treasurer and Le Chef Vegetarische

Adrienne has spent her career committed to the nonprofit sector serving as a professional fundraiser. She has raised nearly $20 million for a variety of causes, including at-risk youth, mental health, and higher education in VA, NY and CA. She and her partner of 12 years, Michael, are also extremely passionate about gay rights; committing not to marry until marriage is a free and equal right for all. Adrienne is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and an editor/author on the book, The Green Nonprofits Handbook. She also recently launched a social venture, Vintners Charitable Cooperative, where nonprofit supporters can drink charitably by joining a wine club that gives 50% of profits to charity (www.charityvintner.org) and runs a food blog, www.vegetarianized.com. Adrienne holds a B.S. in Business Administration, with honors, and B.A. in Leadership Studies from the University of Richmond, a Certificate in Fundraising Administration from New York University and an M.B.A. in Financial Management, with honors, from Pace Universityin New York City. She has served on the Board of Swish since 2004 and became Treasurer in 2008. In her spare time, Adrienne is a freelance food/wine writer and teaches cooking classes.

H.L. Ray
Board Member and Diva-Worshipper

H.L. is extremely excited and honored to be part of the Swish family. He recently completed his International MBA at the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, where his studies took him to Mexico, Chile, China, and, ultimately, New York. He now works full time in marketing, sales, and promotion in the live entertainment industry. H.L. first learned about Swish during his semester in Beijing, China. One early morning at a business school event, H.L.’s diva-dar (one which is very accurate and precise) directed him to international diva extraordinaire and Swish member Andromeda Turre who was performing in Beijing. The two hit it off instantaneously and agreed to ditch the event for brunch at the nearest five star hotel. When H.L. made the move to New York, Andromeda introduced him to Sue and the Swish gang who welcomed him with open arms. H.L. deeply values the support of the straight community in the LGBT movement for equality, and is thrilled to be working with Swish in providing opportunities for involvement. He draws inspiration from his straight family and friends who upon his coming out re-evaluated their views and joined the movement.

Leone Kraus
Board Member and Media Junkie, Professional Lesbian

“I Swish because I believe that it is important to not only be actively involved with the work of the gay community but also to perform an integral role in the work happening in the straight ally community. By tearing down the barrier that exists between the LGBT community and our straight allies, we will make true reform happen. We need both communities cohesively working together on all efforts to amend the laws that prohibit full equality. I truly believe that only then will we win.”

Leone has been an active advocate for LGBT equality for almost two decades. She began her advocacy work after she came out at the tender age of 14. By 16 she was heading her high school’s first-ever gay-straight alliance and by 17 she was getting fitted for her tuxedo so she could take her girlfriend to the prom in style. Since then, Leone has contributed her talents to a variety of LGBT organizations including the Empire State Pride Agenda, a civil rights lobby organization in New York, which played a pivotal role in bringing the Marriage Equality bill to the Senate floor in 2009 and the passage of the Dignity for All Students bill in 2010.

Leone works as an Account Manager for Cause + Effect, a media marketing firm specializing in telling the stories of the LGBT community. As author of the media marketing blog Kraus Notes, Leone’s pieces have been highlighted in The Huffington Post and Advertising Week’s weekly must-reads. Leone is also a contributor for The Bilerico Project, the world’s largest LGBTQ group blog.

Leone works in the marketing division of the online publication Slate.com and The Root.com. She is currently obtaining her master’s degree from the award-winning Public Relations and Corporate Communications program of New York University. This year, Leone joins the board of Swish to lead the organization’s social media and social marketing strategies.

Kylie Edmond
Board Member and Aussie Sunshine Smitten Rocker

Three guys Kylie dated turned out to be gay. One is regular gay, one is bi, and one is a drag queen in Sydney doing a Marilyn Monroe show. She wishes she dated the queen when he was out so they could share glitter, and she could do his makeup and wear his feathered headdresses. But alas, this was not her fate. Instead, she joined Swish. Kylie arrived in NYC nearly nine years ago from the very sunny Perth, Western Australia, to follow love and music. She writes songs about mean boys and lost iPhones, although she has yet to write about her gay exes ... that is her next goal. With a degree in Marketing and Tourism Management, Kylie self- manages her music career while working in advertising to keep her off the streets. She is literally obsessed with her dog Snickers and is a major supporter of animal rights and animal shelters. Kylie has taken home more than a few stray dogs in her time, not mentioning the human kind. Joining Swish has inspired Kylie to spearhead a membership drive music tour that is bound to include a traveling show filled with hot musical talent, glitter, love, riotous fun, and much more. Now who is going to donate a bus we can paint and decorate?

Stephen W. Gilheeney, MD, MMS
Board Member and Contagiously Enthusiastic (Hopefully!) Volunteer

Stephen grew up in Johnston, Rhode Island, and knew very early on he was a true people person. His parents were often afraid he’d just start talking to random people and one day up and disappear. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Engineering from Brown University and then stayed an additional four years to complete a combined Master of Medical Science (in tissue engineering) and Doctor of Medicine degree program. He moved to New York in 1999 to begin his pediatric residency training at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, followed by fellowships in pediatric oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. He is currently on the faculty of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center as a pediatric neuro-oncologist caring for children with tumors of the brain and spinal cord. Says Stephen, “I first became acquainted with Swish when I attended the benefit cabaret in 2009 and said ‘This is an organization I want to belong to.’” Luckily, his ability to speak loudly in crowded areas attracted the attention of Sue Sena, and he’s been an eager volunteer since. His favorite things (outside of the kids he cares for!): really good pizza, really good wine, and really bad television (Dancing with the Stars—don’t hate!). Stephen looks forward to the day when why we love someone is the only concern there is, and not what gender they are. Stephen Swishes because, “the cost of not supporting equal rights for everybody is too high, and the ability to do something about it is too easy and too important.”